


Two halves of the same star

by Lymres (Earthgirl94)



Series: The Other Archangel [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:01:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28655379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthgirl94/pseuds/Lymres
Summary: Weaver Lucas grew up on the streets of Omega. Shunned by her family for her biotics, she took other orphans and outcasts under her wing, until Eclipse. Alone once again she takes the fight to the gang and finds that perhaps, in this campaign, she is not alone. Garrus/ OFC. Background Male Shepard/ Tali
Relationships: Garrus Vakarian/Original Female Character(s), Male Shepard/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya
Series: The Other Archangel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100057
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter One: Lost

Weaver's life began on a small cargo freighter that ran supplies between human colonies in the Terminus Systems. Her parents had no desire for a child and so Weaver often found herself ignored and isolated. At the age of ten, during a heated argument with her parents, her biotics manifested. The resulting explosion almost ripped the ship apart. The ships next stop took them to the outlaw station of Omega, where her parents promptly abandoned her.   
  
Truly alone for the first time in her life Weaver quickly adapted to her new environment. She quickly learned how to steal from the various merchants who peddled their wares in the market. Within a year she'd joined forces with a number of other orphans and thieves on the station. Varying in age and species they were a close-knit group. An older turian boy nicknamed Ripper was the de facto leader of the group. A runaway from Palaven he'd corralled the orphans to help them avoid attention from the many gangs that inhabited Omega.  
  
Weaver's biotics made her a prime target for recruitment in the Eclipse gang, luckily Ripper got to her first, pulling her out of danger and under his protection.   
As the years passed many of the orphans drifted away as they grew up. Some made it off of the station while others ended up being forced to join the gangs. Others found their way into the group. Eventually, Ripper got himself caught by the Blue Suns while helping a pair of boys avoid the gangs' attention. Weaver inadvertently found herself as the leader of the young group, it was now her duty to keep them safe and alive.   
  
Using her biotics to earn money to help the group survive, Weaver did her best to avoid the attention of Eclipse as well as that of Omega's leader, Aria T'Loak.   
They stayed on the move, changing their hideout every few days. Weaver found herself making friends with an asari matron who ran a food stall in the lower markets. She managed to convince her to give the group the leftovers from the stall at the end of the day. In exchange, Weaver ran errands for her across the station. It was on one of these runs Weaver found herself in the crosshairs of the Eclipse.  
  
Barely making it out with her life, and losing the package she was delivering in the process, Weaver fled from Eclipse territory, knowing if she was caught her life would be forfeit.  
She made it back to the hideout and quickly gathered the group and they made their way away from the area before the Eclipse caught up to them.  
They spent years on the run from the Eclipse. Weaver, knowing that it was her the Pack wanted, began to disperse the rest of her group of orphans. Over the years she'd managed to save a bit of money and used this to help get the younger ones of the station. But there were two older youngsters who refused to leave her. One turian and one human, at seventeen they were the oldest in the group, other than Weaver, who, by now, was in her twenties.  
  
They stayed on the run, moving frequently, as they had always done, this time being even more careful about their movements and contact with other people.   
Sometime after her run-in with them Weaver discovered exactly how ruthless the Eclipse could be. She'd been out to find food for the group and when she returned she found their hideout completely destroyed and her companions killed. The Eclipse had carved their symbol into the side of the building, a warning to others who would consider crossing them.   
Weaver didn't hang around, she'd mourn later when there was time.  
  
Options running low, she took the fight directly to the Eclipse.


	2. Chapter 2: Found

For two years Weaver remained on the run from Eclipse, striking against them wherever she could. Until the ambush.  
  
Weaver had gotten word that a small team of Eclipse mercenaries would be moving some red sand through the station and she set out to take them out. She snuck up on them to listen in to their conversation. 'Be careful with that.' The team leader yelled at the others. 'That shipment is worth more than all your lives combined.' He growled.  
Weaver unleashed a singularity, catching all but the squad leader in its radius. She quickly used warp to detonate the field, killing the three mercs, ducking back into cover to avoid the leader's bullets. 'Did you really think we weren't expecting you girl?' He yelled. 'You've been a thorn in our side for far too long.'  
'And you have been a blight on Omega for far longer.' Her grip on her heavy pistol tightened.  
'And we'll be around for a long time yet.' Weaver could hear the smirk in his voice. 'I'm a little disappointed you won't be around to see it.' She whipped her head around as she heard the pounding of multiple sets of armoured feet. She scrambled to another corner of cover. 'Did you really think we would keep letting you raid our shipments?'  
  
Weaver took a deep breath, focusing her mind. A full-on ambush was not what she had prepared for, but she wouldn't go down without a fight. She was preparing to pop out of cover when an explosion ripped through the area. The mercs yelled in surprise and confusion as debris rained down around them. In the pandemonium Weaver felt a thin, three-fingered hand wrap around her wrist, tugging her away from the fight.  
Just managing to keep her feet as she was tugged out of the alley Weaver realised her saviour was a lean salarian in blue and gold armour. A few streets away they stopped to catch their breath, Weaver eyeing the salarian warily, keeping her grip on her gun. 'Who are you? Why did you rescue me?' She demanded.  
'Sensat.' Was the only response she got.  
'You're Eclipse.' It wasn't a question.  
'Was.' He responded. 'I haven't been associated with them for some time now.'  
'You still haven't answered my question. Why did you save me?'  
For the first time the salarian looked at her. 'Eclipse is the reason my family is dead. They took them to get to me and now they're dead. I had no reason to stay. You've made a name for yourself against them. I thought, perhaps, we could join forces.'Weaver studied him carefully. 'How do I know you're being straight with me, that you're not just going to turn me over to Jaroth?'  
'You don't.' He admitted. 'Look, I know what they took from you. They've taken too much from too many people on this station.' He held out a hand. 'So what do you say?'  
Weaver took a moment, before sighing. 'I guess I don't have much choice.' She took Sensat's hand, shaking it. 'I'm Weaver.'  
'Well, Weaver, we should probably move before they catch up.' Weaver nodded and the two left the alley.  
'Where are we going?' Weaver asked as she followed Sensat through the streets of Omega.  
'To meet my boss, he's the one that wanted to bring you in.'  
Weaver froze. 'Your boss? I thought you said you weren't part of a gang.'  
Sensat turned to her. 'No, I said I'm not Eclipse. And let's just say the what I'm a part of is not exactly a gang.'  
'Then what is it?' Weaver demanded.   
'Archangel.' Weaver's eyes widened. 'I see that caught your attention.'  
Weaver's mind reeled. She'd first heard of Archangel some weeks earlier. A turian vigilante who'd appeared on the station, with every intention of taking down all three of the major gangs on Omega. 'What does Archangel want with me.?'  
Sensat rolled his eyes. 'What do you think? You've drawn attention to yourself with your little war against Eclipse. We could use someone with your skills.'  
Weaver considered for a moment, before another voice interrupted her thoughts. 'You could have given her a bit more than that.' She turned to see another salarian in armour matching Sensat's leaning against the wall ahead.  
'Well, what would you have said?' Sensat asked.  
'That we need her just as much as she needs us. That by joining us she has a better chance of eliminating Eclipse.'  
Weaver snorted. 'Believe me, I am under no illusions of my chances. I know I'm only a distraction for them.'  
The other salarian considered her for a moment. 'So you were willing to die for your cause.'  
Weaver shrugged. 'It's not like I've got anything to live for.'  
'Well let us give you a reason.'  
She shook her head gently. 'What have I got to lose?'  
The other salarian's lips twitched. 'Nothing.' He extended a hand, which Weaver shook. 'I'm Erash.'  
'Weaver.'  
'I know.' Erash jerked his head. 'Come on, the boss is waiting.'  
  
Erash, Sensat and Weaver made their way quickly to the lower area of Afterlife. They slipped through the crowd to a secluded corner where two turians and a human were gathered around a table. All three looked up as they approached. The taller of the turians scanned Weaver with a critical eye. The other leaned back in his chair. 'Didn't think you'd actually get her out alive.' He commented.  
'What's that supposed to mean?' Weaver demanded.   
The turian smiled. 'You seem to have something of a death wish sweetheart.'  
Weaver leaned in close, her voice dropping dangerously low. 'Call me sweetheart again and you'll be picking you teeth up off this floor.'  
The other turian got in between them, pushing Weaver back and glaring at his fellow. 'That's enough Sidonis.' Weaver took a step back. 'And you, don't threaten my men.'  
Erash gripped her shoulder, forcing her into a chair before he and Sensat took seats on either side of her.  
'So, what is this?' Weaver's eyes flicked across the group sat in front of her.  
'An offer.' The turian retook his seat. 'We've been watching you for some time now.'  
'Why?'  
'Not many would have the guts to take on Eclipse on their own.'  
Weaver leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. 'Not many have lost absolutely everything to them. Nor do they have Eclipse on their ass at every turn.'  
The turian mirrored her stance. 'Let us give you a reason to keep fighting, a reason to live.'  
'And why would I want that?'  
The turian leaned back. 'Because you have nothing else to lose.'  
Weaver glanced between the five men sat around her. She nodded slowly, a small smile creeping across her face. 'All right. You've made your point. I'm in.'  
Archangel stood offering his hand. 'I'm Garrus. Garrus Vakarian.'  
'It's nice to meet you Garrus.'


	3. Chapter 3: Beginnings

The first thing Garrus did was introduce Weaver to the rest of his team and order them a round of drinks. Of course, she'd already met Erash and Sensat. The human was introduced as Dylan Butler, an ex-alliance medic, who'd become disillusioned with military life. The other turian was introduced as Lantar Sidonis; ex-turian military he'd arrived on the station after his sister's murder on Omega a year earlier.  
The group stayed around the table for a short while, drinking and swapping stories. Weaver mostly stayed quiet, trying to figure out her new teammates.  
Erash always seemed on edge, his eyes constantly scanning the area around them, as if looking for an unseen threat.  
Sensat was much more laidback, slouched in his chair, flipping a knife between his fingers.  
Butler was knocking back drinks like the bar was going to run out.  
Sidonis had left the table and was flirting with one of the asari dancers.   
Garrus was watching the group with a keen eye, making sure they weren't getting into too much trouble.  
Weaver was still nursing her first drink, her hands curled around the glass, just taking in her new reality.  
  
'Hey.' A soft voice interrupted her thoughts. Weaver looked up to see Garrus looking at her. 'You okay?'  
Weaver shrugged 'This is just going to get some time to get used to.'  
'What is?' Garrus asked.  
'People having my back. I'm used to being the one looking out for others.  
Garrus reached out and squeezed her hand. 'You're not alone anymore.'  
Before Weaver could respond Butler's omni-tool beeped. He glanced down at it before pushing back from the table, surprisingly steady on his feet for the amount he'd drunk. 'I'd better get home, the wife's expecting me.' He looked down at Weaver. 'I want to check your amp tomorrow, kid, make sure you won't be overdoing it.' He nodded to the others and left the bar.  
Sidonis wandered back to the table. 'I should head out too, I'll see you tomorrow.'   
As he left Garrus got to his feet. 'We should go.' He looked to Erash and Sensat. 'If I take Weaver are you two okay too make your own way back?' The two salarian's nodded, before disappearing out the door.  
Weaver got up too and realised just how short she was compared to Garrus. The top of her head barely even reached halfway between his elbow and his shoulder. She followed Garrus from the bar. 'I take it Sidonis and Butler have their own places.'  
Garrus nodded. 'Erash, Sensat and I live at a hideout.' He looked down at her. 'And now you too.'  
'Wait, what?'  
'Unless you can convince me that have anywhere other than an abandoned warehouse to sleep in.'  
Weaver considered for a moment. 'That's fair. Can I at least get my things?'  
'Of course you can. Where are we going?'  
'The Gozu district. I have a hideaway there.'

Their trip to the Gozu district was quick and quiet and in less than two hours they were in the tunnels that led to the Kima district where Garrus' base was located. As they walked Garrus observed Weaver; watching the way she moved, how well she assessed her surroundings.  
The passage joined two others that led to other parts of the station, with the main passage leading into the ground floor of the teams base. Erash and Sensat were already there, Erash tinkering with a pistol and Sensat flicking through a datapad. They looked up as Garrus and Weaver entered, Sensat scrabbled to his feet. 'Ah, there you are.' He scurried over to Weaver and began pulling at her arms, scanning her body. 'Stay still.'  
Weaver looked at Garrus. 'Umm, what is he doing?'  
Sensat was noting something on his datapad as he continued to flit around her. 'Measuring you.'  
'Measuring me? What on Earth for?'  
Garrus squeezed her shoulder gently. 'Armour.'  
Weaver's eyes widened. 'Armour, you're giving me armour?'  
Garrus' mandibles flared. 'Of course, you're one of us now, we're not going to leave you unprotected.'  
A moment later Sensat stepped back. 'I'll send these off to Tels, it should be ready in a couple of days.' He wandered off up the stairs.  
'Who's Tels?' Weaver asked curiously.  
'An ally.' Garrus replied. 'He's not a member of the team, but he makes sure we've got armour and weapons. Speaking of, tomorrow I want to put your through your paces, see which weapon you're suited to.'  
Weaver nodded. 'Okay.' She suppressed a yawn. 'I don't have much experience.'  
Garrus looked concerned. 'When was the last time you got any decent amount of sleep?' Weaver shrugged. 'Up the stairs to the right. Choose a bunk and get some sleep, you're safe here.'  
  
The bunk furthest from the door was where Weaver woke the next day. She could hear movement from downstairs, so she dressed and went down to join the others. The three others were sat around, they had also been joined by Butler. They looked up as she joined them. 'How'd you sleep?' Garrus asked.  
Weaver produced a wry smile. 'Better than I have a long time that's for sure.'  
'Good.' Butler spoke up. 'A tired biotic is an uncontrolled one.' He gestured to a box on the table. 'Help yourself, my wife made pastries.'  
'Oh, okay, thanks.' Weaver reached into the container and pulled out a pastry as Butler came around behind her.  
He pushed her shoulder gently. 'Lean forward. I want to look at your amp.'  
'Do you know what you're doing?' Weaver asked cautiously.  
'I was a medic for the Alliance, I know what I'm doing.' Weaver twisted her black hair up out of the way as Butler probed at the back of her neck. 'Jeez, who installed your amp kid?'  
'I don't remember.' Weaver snapped. 'It was fourteen years ago, I was ten years old.'  
'You're lucky to be alive. Whoever put it in did a shoddy job.'  
'Probably because we couldn't afford anything better as kids on the streets.'  
Butler huffed. 'Fair enough.' He straightened and looked at Garrus. 'She's going to need an upgrade boss.'  
Garrus nodded. 'Do whatever you need to, we need her in the best shape possible.'  
'I can hear you, you know.' Weaver piped up.  
'Sorry.' Butler and Garrus jointly apologised.  
After breakfast Garrus took Weaver back down into the tunnels. One of them had been set up as a makeshift shooting range. A selection of weapons had been laid out on a table. 'So you said last night you don't have much experience.' Garrus began. 'What have you used before?'  
'Just a pistol, I usually rely on biotics.' She picked up the predator from the table, weighing it in her hand.  
'Pistols are always a good place to start.' Garrus stepped up next to her. 'But it would be good for you to train on a rapid-fire weapon too, totally relying on your biotics is dangerous.' He nodded in the direction of the targets. 'Show me what you can do.'  
As Weaver began to shoot at the targets Garrus began to assess her. She'd clearly never had any formal training, her grip was far looser than it should be and her stance was off-balance.  
After a short time Garrus stopped her and began to tutor her on the proper way to handle the weapon. After a few adjustments he let her fire again, her aim had improved, although not enough for either them to be entirely confident in her abilities.


	4. Chapter 4: Rising

As the days passed Weaver fell into her new routine. After breakfast she and Garrus would head down into the tunnels for weapons practice and when they were done they joined the rest of the team to gather and share intel, after which the whole team got together for hand-to-hand training. Two days after she arrived Weaver's armour arrived. Like the others' armour it was blue and gold and fitted her well. A week after that Butler took her to a clinic a few districts away to have her biotic implant upgraded. The surgery was quick and simple, but Weaver was told to refrain from using her biotics for three days.  
During her downtime she learned more about Omega than she thought possible.  
Once healed from her surgery Weaver was allowed to join the team on her first assignment. Their target was the Blood Pack. Ruthless and unforgiving, they were the muscle on the station. The group they were going after were responsible for multiple assaults on residents of the station. As Garrus went over the brief the rest of the team readied their armour and weapons. Erash and Sidonis had already scouted out the ambush site, Erash had laced the area with explosives. Sensat and Garrus would take vantage points over the target area with their sniper rifles, while Butler, Sidonis and Erash would use shorter-range weapons in a crossfire move. Weaver was to hang back in a support role, using her biotics as barrier support.   
  
Once ready they activated the base's remote defences and headed to the ambush site. Garrus and Sensat quickly made their way to their sniper positions, while the others ducked behind crates and walls that littered the alley. Weaver ducked down behind a corner at the very end of the alley, pistol in her hand. Butler glanced back to make sure the young woman was concealed just before a pair of krogan and a few vorcha stomped into the alley.  
Almost immediately they triggered Erash's explosives, sending the vorcha flying and the krogan stumbling. The team unleashed a hail of bullets on the remaining gang members, Weaver threw up a biotic barrier to protect Butler and Sidonis, who were closest to the krogan.  
The fight was quickly over. The hail of gunfire had prevented the krogan and vorcha from regenerating. Sensat and Garrus joined the four in the alley as they searched the bodies of the krogan for any information on Blood Pack movements. 'Anything?' Garrus asked.  
Sidonis shook his head. 'Nothing we didn't already know.'  
'Dammit. Well, let's clear up and go home.'  
Leaving the bodies in the alley the team gathered up their weapons and split into pairs to head for the hideout.  
  
Weaver was paired with Garrus for their journey home. 'How are you holding up?' Garrus asked suddenly.  
Weaver started at his voice. 'I'm fine.' She replied, hesitantly.  
'It's not easy, taking a life.' Garrus continued.  
'I've killed before.' Weaver told him.  
Garrus looked down at her. 'I know, that doesn't mean that it gets any easier.'  
Weaver took a deep breath. 'I know. But I didn't actually kill anyone today.'  
'That's true.' Garrus squeezed her shoulder. 'You did well today.'  
Weaver smiled hesitantly. 'Thanks, it felt to do some good on this station for once.' As they continued on Weaver decided to ask the question she'd been wanting to ask since she'd joined. 'Why?'  
'Why what?' Garrus was confused at the question.  
'Why start all this? Why try to clean up a station infested with outlaws?'  
Garrus sighed. 'I got tired of not being able to make a real difference. C-Sec was ruled by so much red tape that it felt like I was choking. I worked with a spectre for a short time and saw how much he could do without being bound by rules and regulations.'  
'So you just up and left?'  
Garrus shrugged. 'I chased a band of red sand smugglers from the Citadel to here. C-Sec has no jurisdiction out here, this was the only way to catch them.'  
'I guess I can understand that.'  
  
Once back at base the team got together to go over the mission and see how they could improve for their next one. The debrief was quick and the team split to go about various tasks. Butler took Weaver aside to give her some basic medical training, something vital if Butler was elsewhere.   
  
A few more weeks passed. The team had gained two new recruits. Vortash was a batarian tech expert originally from Khar'Shan. He'd grown bored with life on his homeworld and travelled to Omega for a new life. He'd joined the team after they saved his life when he stumbled into a deal by the Blue Suns.   
Davis Montague was a security expert born on Earth. He'd been contracted by a merchant friend on Omega to improve their security system, but his employer had been murdered by the Blood Pack before he could carry the job out. Seeking revenge he'd found the group and asked to join.  
They'd undertaken a few more missions since Weaver's first. Their teamwork and individual skills improved with each job they undertook. Garrus was turning into a capable leader, utilising his team's skills to the best of their abilities and helping them improve the ones where they fell short.   
  
Each day that passed made Weaver feel more and more at home within the team. For the first time since she arrived on Omega she wasn't constantly feeling on edge, she was no longer always looking over her shoulder. She no longer considered the team as just comrades-in-arms, they were a family. It was like constantly being surrounded by a group of older brothers. Except for Garrus. When she joined Weaver viewed Garrus as nothing more than the team's leader, but her feelings towards him had changed in the weeks since then.


	5. Chapter 5: Found

It had been almost four months since Garrus and Weaver first met. The team had grown once again. Mierin and Melenis were asari sisters whom Garrus had worked with in C-Sec. They'd heard about his campaign against the gangs on Omega and had decided to join. Like him, they'd grown tired of smugglers and criminals fleeing to the Terminus Systems to escape justice. The other recruit was Grundan Krul, a krogan bounty hunter. He'd joined up after seeing the team take down the Blood Pack members he'd been hired to kill.   
  
Weaver and Garrus had only grown closer in the time that had passed. More often than not they were paired together for missions, Weaver's biotics and Garrus's sniping abilities an ideal combination. They'd also discovered that she was a talented spotter, her eyes keenly finding their targets and Garrus taking them out. During this time they spent together they learned more about each other and Garrus began to wear down the walls that Weaver had built around her heart. Garrus showed how much he cared about Weaver a few weeks after Krul joined the team.   
  
The team had been planning a raid on a Blue Suns base. There was just one hitch in their plan. They'd been unable to find someone on the inside to get them intel vital to their mission. Until Weaver made a suggestion. 'I know a guy in the Suns.' She stated.  
'You do? Who?' Sidonis asked. 'You never mentioned this before.'  
Weaver shrugged. 'You never asked, and I have mentioned him before. Ripper.'  
'The guy who picked you up off the streets.' It wasn't a question from Garrus.  
Weaver nodded. 'He's a merc.' Montague growled.  
'He did it to protect us. If I can get a message to him, I think he'll help us.'  
'How do we get a message to him?' Mierin asked.  
'I'm not sure, I've never tried.'  
'I might have a suggestion on that.' Vortash spoke up. All eyes turned to him. 'You remember that deal that you all pulled me from?'  
'Of course. What about it?' Garrus asked.  
'One of the batarians there seemed to have a proclivity, you could say, for young human women.'  
All eyes turned to Weaver. 'No. No way.' She protested. 'There is no way in hell that I am going to pretend to be a kid to lure in some perverted old man.'  
Garrus' hand landed on her shoulder. 'I agree. We'll find another way.'  
'There may not be another way.' Montague pointed out. 'We all know how merciless the Suns are if they don't suspect they won't be on guard.'  
'I said no.' Garrus said firmly, in a voice that left no room for argument. 'You're all dismissed for the night.'  
  
The team slowly dispersed but Weaver stayed with Garrus. 'Thanks.' She murmured quietly. 'I really didn't want to do that.'   
Garrus squeezed her shoulder gently. 'I didn't want to see you do it either.' He replied gently.   
Weaver sighed. 'What if Montague's right? What is going through this batarian is the only way to get to Ripper?'  
'It won't be.' Garrus said determinedly. 'We'll find another way. We have to. I won't put you in that situation.'  
'Yeah, we'll see.'  
'Weaver.' Garrus said her name firmly. 'Weaver, look at me.' When she looked up at him he surprised her by cupping her face in his hands. 'It is not going to happen. I promise.'  
Weaver nodded. 'Okay. I trust you.'  
'Good.' Garrus ran a thumb over Weaver's cheek, before releasing her. 'Get some rest, we'll pick this up again tomorrow.'  
Weaver stepped back, her bronze skin doing little to conceal the blush staining her cheeks.  
'Well.' Weaver was stopped at the top of the stairs by Sidonis. 'That's interesting.'  
'What do you mean?' Weaver demanded.  
'Oh, nothing in particular.' His mandibles flared as he grinned at her.  
'Whatever.' Weaver pushed past him and headed for bed.'  
  
The next morning, after everyone had had a chance to relax and think the team came together again to come up with a way to get a message to Ripper. They threw plenty of ideas out, but none of them were guaranteed to work. Weaver rubbed her eyes wearily. 'I don't like it, but we may have to go with Vortash's plan.' She said quietly.  
'I already said no to that.' Garrus was clearly trying not to raise his voice.   
'What other choice do we have?' She argued back.  
'I have a suggestion.' Butler spoke up, preventing the argument from continuing. All eyes turned to him. 'I'm pretty sure I've seen your boy hanging around Afterlife.'  
'Alone?' Garrus asked.  
Butler shrugged. 'Sometimes. But there's no guarantee of when he'll be there.'  
'Alright. We'll pair off. Two-hour rotations in Afterlife until we see him. As soon as you do you call me. Understood?' The team nodded. 'Okay, pick your partner and work out a rotation.'  
  
It took two days for Ripper to show up at Afterlife. Melenis and Vortsash were on duty there when he entered, with a few other members of the Blue Suns. They immediately called Garrus, who headed over with Weaver. They slipped him a message through the bartender, telling them to meet Weaver in an alley just outside.  
Garrus took up an overwatch position, while Weaver, who was out of her armour, waited in the alley.  
Weaver was edgy, waiting for Ripper to appear. Hidden in a dark corner she saw when he entered the alley. He looked around, hand on the weapon holstered at his side. She waited a moment to make sure he hadn't been followed, before stepping out of the shadows. 'Hey, Rip.' She said quietly, raising her hands when he whirled around, weapon in hand.  
Ripper appraised her for a moment, before his eyes widened in recognition. 'Weaver, is that you kid?'  
Weaver's mouth twitched. 'Bet you didn't expect me.'  
'Are you insane?' He growled. 'If the Suns find out you're here, do you have any idea what they'll do to you?'  
'Yes, I do. That's why I'm here.' Weaver folded her arms across her chest. 'I want to get you out.'  
Ripper scoffed. 'Out? There's no getting out of the Suns.'  
Weaver took a step forward. 'There's always a way, I just need you to trust me.'  
Ripper sighed. 'You're serious aren't you kid?'  
Weaver shrugged a shoulder. 'When aren't I?'  
'I don't know. It's been years Weave, I don't think I know you anymore.' He holstered his weapon. 'You clearly want more than to just get me out of the Suns.'  
'Yeah, sorry.'  
'Don't be, I wouldn't expect anything less from you. So what do you want?'  
'Information.' Weaver replied. 'On the base over in the Zeta district.'  
'Why?' Ripper asked suspiciously.  
'I want to infiltrate it.' Weaver told him.   
'You're insane.' Ripper scoffed. 'Infiltrating a Blue Suns base on your own is suicide.'  
'Then it's just as well I won't be alone.'  
'What?' Ripper narrowed his eyes. 'Infiltrating a Blue Suns base, offering to get me out. You're working with him, aren't you? Archangel.'  
Weaver nodded. 'Yeah, I am.'  
Ripper swore. 'And you think that if I help you do this he'll help me get out.'  
'More. You help us and then you join us. Help us make a difference on this station.'  
'You think he'd have me?' Ripper asked.  
'I know he would. And I want you with us. I've missed you Rip, you were like a big brother to me.'  
Ripper clapped a hand on Weaver's shoulder. 'You've changed kid. Alright, I'm in. meet me here in two days to get the intel and we'll figure out a plan.'  
Weaver gave a quick hand signal to Garrus to let him know he could come down. 'We'll be here.'  
'We?' Ripper's question was answered when Garrus joined them. 'I take it you're Archangel then. I'm surprised you'd reveal yourself.'  
'Weaver trusts you and I trust her.'  
'Okay. I'll see you in two days kid.' Ripper nodded to both of them before taking off back to Afterlife to make sure he wasn't missed by the rest of the gang in the club.  
'Come on.' Garrus tugged at Weaver's hand. 'Let's go home.'


	6. Chapter 6: Loyalty

Ripper was on time getting his information to Weaver and Garrus. Detailed and informative, it gave exactly what they needed to infiltrate the base and carry out their mission. Ripper would meet them afterwards so as to not arouse any suspicion from the Blue Suns.  
The plan was for Erash, Krul, Butler and Weaver to create a distraction not far from the base while the others infiltrated the base to gather any more intelligence and then destroy the base.  
Just before they split at the distraction zone Garrus ordered them to stay safe, leaving Erash in charge, before leading the others to their position to wait for the distraction.  
The four began to set up their distraction. Erash rigged the area with explosives while Krul and Weaver checked their weapons over.  
'So, Sidonis told us there was an interesting moment between you and the boss the other night.' The scarred krogan nudged Weaver with a teasing voice.  
'Shut up.' She growled.  
'No, no. I want to hear this too.' Erash looked up from his work. 'He treats you different.'  
Weaver slammed the clip into her pistol. 'No, he doesn't.'  
'Yes, he does.' Butler spoke up. 'He's looked at you in a different way to the rest of us since the day you joined us.'  
Weaver took a deep breath. 'I thought we were here to do a job, not gossip like a group of asari matriarchs.'  
Erash's omni-tool beeped, signalling the assault team was in position. 'Alright.' He got serious immediately. 'Everyone into position, let's do this.'  
As soon as they were hunkered down in position Erash triggered his explosives, with the intention of attracting the Blue Suns attention.  
  
The effect was almost instantaneous. Armoured boots pounded on the ground as Blue Suns descended on their position. They charged into the junction of four alleys Garrus had chosen, triggering the explosives. Weaver let out a singularity, Krul charged in, shotgun in hand, while Butler and Erash unleashed bullets from their rifles. Their attack took the Blue Suns by surprise. Those who survived the initial assault ducked into cover, a move that was mirrored by Weaver and her companions.  
Bullets ripped through crates scattered around the alley. 'They've got armour-piercing rounds.' Butler growled.  
'I think we figured that out.' Weaver snapped.  
Weaver ducked behind a building to avoid the bullets, her hands tightening around her pistol, biotics glowing. 'Weaver.' Erash's voice sounded in her ear. 'Can you distract those two on the left?'  
'You got it.' Weaver responded quickly, before ducking around her cover and firing two shots in quick succession. The two Erash wanted to be distracted turned their attention to Weaver, allowing Krul to move in to take them out.  
  
The alley fell silent as the bullets stopped flying. There was a pause before Erash called clear and the four emerged from their cover. Erash got onto the comm to Garrus to let him know of their success. The others began to scavenge unspent thermal clips from the mercs. As they went they dragged the bodies to the side of the alley. Krul worked alone, while Butler and Weaver worked together, laughing at a joke that Erash had told.  
About halfway through, Weaver caught movement out of the corner of her eye. One of the mercs had hidden on a rooftop and had survived the assault, and was aiming his gun at Butler. Weaver yelled a warning, leaping to push Butler out of the way, as a blinding pain ripped through her shoulder.  


With the assault over Garrus met Ripper not far from the Blue Suns base, while the rest of the team cleaned up. 'Thank you for your help.'  
Ripper nodded at him. 'I didn't really do it for you.'  
Garrus chuckled. 'I know, but I'm grateful all the same.'  
Ripper folded his arms. 'Weaver's like my little sister, you know?'  
'She said.'  
'And I'm protective of my family.'  
Garrus nodded in understanding. 'I get it, believe me, I do. So, are you going to stick around?'  
Ripper shrugged. 'I'm pretty sure I'll be dead if I tried to return to the Suns, and you guys seem to be trying to do some good on this station.'  
Garrus was prevented from responding by Erash's panicked voice over the comm. 'Garrus, do you copy?'  
'I copy, what's your status?'  
'Mission complete, but Weaver's down.'  
Garrus felt like his heart had stopped. 'What do you mean Weaver's down?' He demanded as Ripper's eyes widened.  
'We missed one, she saved Butler's life and got hit in the process.' He took a breath. 'They were using armour-piercing rounds and it went straight into her shoulder. She's bleeding heavily.'  
'As soon as you can get her back to base.' Garrus ordered briskly.  
'Understood. Butler's stabilising her now, we should beat you back.'  
'Copied, we'll meet you there.' Garrus called out to Sidonis to gather the team up before he turned to Ripper. 'Come with me, I'll take you to our home to meet Weaver there.'  
  
Erash's team barely beat Garrus and Ripper back. When they emerged from the tunnels into the main room Krul and Erash were scrubbing blood off their armour. 'How bad?' Garrus demanded.  
Erash looked up. 'Butler thinks she'll be okay, but she lost a lot of blood. The bullet went straight through her left shoulder.' He sighed. 'Butler's got her upstairs, on her bunk.'  
Garrus nodded. 'Can you get Ripper settled? I'll go check on them.'  
Garrus slowly made his way up the stairs to the shared bunk room. Butler was bent over Weaver, who was worryingly pale. 'How is she?' He asked hoarsely.  
Butler straightened, taking a deep breath. 'She'll live. But it was a bad wound. I've got her sedated for now, and I'll probably keep out till at least tomorrow morning, so she doesn't aggravate her wound.'  
Garrus stepped up to Weaver's bunk, gently caressing her cheek. 'What happened?' He asked quietly.   
'She saw the one guy we all missed. She saved my life.' Butler responded.  
Garrus took a deep breath. 'Move her into my room, it'll be better for her in the quiet.'  
'You sure?' Butler asked.  
'Yeah, I'm sure.'


End file.
